Substance Abuse Policy

Procedure for a student with a positive urine drug screen
Students in the College of Nursing are required to undergo urinary drug screen testing according to College and Agency guidelines in which students may be located for practicum and/or research experiences. Students will be responsible for incurring any costs associated with urine drug screen testing.

Laboratory results for urine drug screen will be sent to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will review the urinalysis test results to determine whether a legitimate medical explanation could account for any “confirmed positive” result reported by the laboratory. This is accomplished by an in-person interview with the specimen donor and by giving the donor an opportunity to provide evidence of legally prescribed medication use that may have caused the positive lab result. If the Associate Dean determines that a legitimate medical explanation exists, the results reported will be recorded as “negative.”

If there is no legitimate medical explanation, the protocol for a positive drug screen will be implemented. Any student testing positive will not be permitted in a clinical setting. A student who tests positive will be asked to make an appointment with the Counseling and Consultation Services (CCS) at The Ohio State University Younkin Success Center. CCS will ask the student to attend three one-hour assessment sessions. The student will be asked to sign a release notifying the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the disposition of the visits. The student will be asked to be tested again, at the student’s expense, prior to returning to a clinical course. If the student tests positive the second time, the student will be asked to withdraw from the program and will need to petition to re-enter. Upon petition to re-enter the program, the student will provide the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs with documentation from a certified drug and alcohol counselor indicating readiness to return to the program and prognosis for full recovery.

After a student has completed the required counseling sessions at CCS, has a negative drug screen, and returns to the practicum setting, random drug testing will occur periodically until the student graduates from the program. The Associate Dean of Academic Affairs office will notify students of the required random drug screening which will be completed within five days of notification, at the student’s expense. If a positive drug screen occurs, the student will be asked to withdraw from the program and will need to petition to re-enter as indicated in previous paragraph.

Evaluation of Student Progress
A student may be granted re-entrance into the practicum area, one time only, upon completion of his or her treatment programs as defined in accordance with The Ohio State University Student Health Services. The Undergraduate Studies and/or Graduate Studies Committee is responsible for the review and maintenance of documentation of all materials regarding re-entry of any student into clinical and/or academic areas. Any student who is identified as having impaired practice more than once will be disenrolled from the College of Nursing. Re- admission to the College of Nursing will be determined using standard re-enrollment procedures.